Steering-wheel cover



W |r= Mummia sTEERNG WHEEL cos/ER Filed oct 23, 1922 1` an, or enactments.

sewn cov.

.application tied hotelier 29, i922. Serial llo. 596,219.

. To all whom t may concern:

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Be it known that l, Willman F. Rinoa, a citizen of the llnited States, and a resident of Akron, county of Summit, State of flhio, have invented certain new and useful llmprovenients in SteeringfFlheel hovers, of"

which the following is a specication.

'lhis invention has for its object the provision of an elastic sheath or cover for use upon steering wheels of automobiles, although it may he capable of other and more extended uses. 'lhe specihc object of my invention is to improve uponthe construction of steering wheel covers such as shown in my prior Fatent lilo. l,4tl6,628, dated Fehruary 2i', i929, it heing the purpose to improve certain features of dthe prior construction as will he more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

ln the drawings is shown one embodiment of the invention, it being ohvious that modi iicationsland changes may he made therein without departing from the essential features of the invention.

ln the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of a steering wheel with the cover 1n place, showing the invention as applied to one type of wheel;

e Figure 2 isa fragmentary plan showing the manner in which the cover may he adapted to another type of wheeel;

Figure 3 is a section through a wheel of the type shown in Figure 2; and.

Figure l is a view of the inner surface of the cover. a

ln the drawings, l represents the rim or periphery of a steering wheel in which 2 are the spokes. 'lhe cover is indicated by the numeral 3 and is formed as a continuous ruhher sheath or jacket open at its inner periphery sor that it may he slipped into position over the wheel. 'lhe cover is so constructed that it will Ht snugly over the wheel and d'oes not require any fastening devices as it is made smaller than the wheel so that it will contract into place on the wheel and he held in position hy the contraction ofthe cover. The cover may he made slightly thicker about the 'region of its outer periphery and is'preferahly provided with a roughened or corrugated `outer so as to improve the grip obtained hy the driver upon the steering wheel.

ln order to cause the cover to cling about the transverse curvature of the steeringv wheel, it is transversely curved and its edges about the slit may be headed or thickened, as at 5, so that upon contraction of the sheath the edges will he drawn in about the wheel.

Un its inner surface the rubber cover or sheath may he provided with any suitable roughened or corrugated surface which will increase the grip of the cover on the wheel and preventeither circumferential or transverse shifting of the cover. Such a construction is illustrated in Figurell, which shows the inner surface of the cover. While the irregularities in the surface may take any suitable form, l have shown a plurality of circumferential rihs or headings 6 and knurled or net-like surfaces 7 on either side of the ribs. This roughening of the inner surface may, it is obvious, assume any form, that shown being merely an example of a satisfactory form of device for the purpose.

Steering wheels are of two distinct types llh with respect to one object of this invention.

ln one type of wheel the spokes converge to the center of the wheel from the innermost periphery. ln another type the-spokes are attached to the upper or lower surface of' the rim. ln my former application the type of cover shown therein was suitahle for the former type of wheel, and when applied'to the latter type was unsuitable, as the edge of the cover would bridge over the spokes.. 'lhe cover shown in this application is suitable for either type of wheel. 'lhe spokes of the former type of wheel are shownfin Figure l, while the spokes of the latter type are shown in Figures 2 and 3.

ln order to make the cover suitahle for either type, the outer heading 5 is provided at points adapted to register with the spokes of the wheel with reentrant or outcurving i portions 8, so that there are provided smal substantially semi-circular areas 9 enclosed hy the .outer head 5 and the reentrant portion 8. lt is apparent that the shape of ,these areas is not essentially as shown, and

that, ordinarily, they need be provided on one side of the cover only.

When the cover is to be applied to a steering wheel of the type shownin Figure l, the areas 9 are allowed to remain in the edges of the cover, hut when it is applied Itoa wheel of the type shownin Figures 2 and 3, the areas 9 are cut out, which leaves a cover provided with a continuous head having at intervals, registering with the underslung or overhung spokes, the reentrant portions S, in order to lit this type of wheel snugly.

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ltlll lhlli lltl It will be observed that I have provided the continuous elastic torus of my prior application with additional means to prevent slippage of the cover relative to the wheel, and have also so constructed the device that it will fit both types of steering wheels, by a slight alteration which does not affect the operativeness of the device in any way. The principles of the construction may be embodied in different form, these features being maintained.

What I claim is: n

1. As a new article yof manufacture, an elastic cover for steering wheels or the like, comprising 'a torus split along its inner circumference and provided on its surface in contact with the wheel with irregular formations adapted to prevent slippage of the cover.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an elastic cover for steering wheels or the like, comprising a ring Yof elastic material throughout having a transverse curvature adapted to fit around the rim of the wheel and roughened on the inner surface of the cover to prevent slipping of the cover over the rim of the wheel.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a

cover for. steering wheels, comprising an elastic torus having a slit on its inner circumference and a roughened inner surface in contact with the rim, of the wheel.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a. cover for steering wheels, comprising an elastic sheath adapted to fit over the wheel, beads about the edges of the sheath, and outwardlyy curved portions on the beads arranged to register with the spokes of the wheel.

5. As a new. article of manufacture, a

cover for steering wheels, comprising an elastic sheath having a transverse curvature adapted to fit over the wheel, beads about the edges of the sheath, and outwardly curved portions on one vof said beads adapted to register with the spokes of the wheel.

6. AS a new article of manufacture, a cover for steerin wheels, comprising an elastic sheath having a transverse curvature adapted to fit over the wheel, a continuous circumferential bead on one edge of the sheath, and a second bead on the other edge of the sheath interrupted at intervals by re entrant portions adapted to register with the spokes of the wheel.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a. cover for steering wheels, comprising a continuous elastic sheath slit at its inner edge to fit over a steering wheel, and recesses about the edge of the sheath to register with the spokes of the wheel.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a cover for steering wheels, comprising a continuous elastic sheath slit at its inner circumference to fit over a steering wheel, said sheath being curved transversal and provided along the edges of the slit with en larged beads and secondary curved portions on abead adapted to register with the spokes of a steering wheel.

9. As a new article of manufacture, a cover for steerin wheels, comprising a continuous elastic s cath slit along its inner edge and transversely curved to fit over the rim of a steering wheel, recesses about an inner edge of the sheath, and means about the edge of the sheath adapted to cause it to cling to the surface of the wheel.

WILLIAM F. RIDGE. 

